I was an arts-and-craftsy type of kid. My favorite book when I was seven was an arts and crafts book that was included in some sort of educational book set. I wouldn't have phrased it like this when I was a kid but... I didn't give a shit about the rest of the set. Eleven other themed volumes, and the only thing I can remember about them, is that one had an article about how to care for a baby bird, if you found one. I loved that arts and crafts book. Coincidentally, it was blue. (My favorite color.)
I made paper mache tortoises, pipe-cleaner horses, origami cranes, and homemade play-dough elephants. I carved whales out of soap, and furniture out of crayons. I pressed flowers, made plaster of paris footprints, and sewed clothes for my Mini Mouse. I made her some sexy tangas before they ever came into fashion in the States. (She still wears them.)
Before I went to high school, my parents sold the book set at a yard sale because I never used them. They sold my Arts & Crafts book, too, just because it was part of the set. I can't tell you how much I miss that book.
I slowly gave up arts and crafts when I got older. Occasionally I'd make a collage, or I'd dye some tissue paper and make a bouquet of flowers with straw stems in a painted Snapple bottle vase, but I used to do that kind of stuff every day.
I made a stencil yesterday. It was the first time I'd done anything in months. You wouldn't believe how happy it made me.
I want an arts and crafts book, sewing machine, and a closet full of scissors, construction paper, paste, acrylic paint, brushes, water colors, empty bottles, magazines, markers, cloth scraps, felt, pipe-cleaners, clay, plaster of paris, tissue, rubber cement, ink, stencils...
I would love that.
No comments:
Post a Comment